Summer’s not over yet. Even though the new school year is just around the corner and you’ve taken the last of your vacation days at work, you can still make the most of the sunshine, warmth and brilliant energy that comes with free summer days. Here’s how to enjoy those last days of summer before the weather starts to turn cold.
WAKE UP HAPPY
Take advantage of the long last days of summer to wake up 10 minutes before the alarm goes off. Then, step outside with your tea or coffee, and breathe. The fresh air will bring you renewed energy and calm you. You’ll gradually ease out of sleep mode and get motivated for the day ahead. Plus, once you’re sitting in your cubicle or rushing around shuttling your kids from activity to activity, you won’t feel robbed of outdoor time. After all, you started your day with nature.
UNWIND THE RIGHT WAY
It’s easy to get so wrapped up in your daily routine that you spend your evenings doing laundry, preparing lunches for the next day and feeling cranky about your lack of free time. Although we understand that if you let it all pile up, it can come back to bite you later, but if you focus on all of your to-dos, you’ll never get a chance to relax and enjoy your leisure time.
After dinner, instead of getting into task mode, spend 30 minutes to an hour connecting with yourself or your family. Stretch out in a hammock and read a good book. Play lawn games with the kids. Eat dessert under the sunset. Soak in the last of the long summer days.
SCHEDULE SOCIALIZATION
As the lazy days of summer come to an end, make sure that you work in time to get together with friends. Even if it’s just a lunch date or a happy hour get-together once a week, spending time with good company can help you laugh and disconnect from the daily grind. You’ll also create memories so that you can look back on this as one of the best summers ever.
TAKE A WEEKENDER
Even if you don’t have weeks of vacation planned, you can still skip off to a weekend getaway. Think easy and relaxing. Head to a spa, where everything is taken care of. Rent a tiny house in the country through Air BnB, and spend your days journaling. Take advantage of the beach when the tourists are gone, and you can have the stretch of sand to yourself. If you are heading out for the weekend, packing is easy when you can throw your favorite sun protective Cabana Life clothing into your suitcase.
ENJOY SUMMER’S BOUNTY
Spend some time savoring the last of summer’s seasonal foods. Go berry picking, visit your farmer’s market, and put together some fresh fruit salad. Soon enough, you’ll be baking casseroles and eat comfort food. Don’t feel like cooking? Concoct one of these summer pitcher cocktails to remind you that the season isn’t over yet.
Before you let summer go completely, make the most of the last days of summer by taking the time to sit and internalize everything that you did. If you let the season sweep on by, you might get sad that it’s over. However, if you spend time remembering the good times and relishing the memories, you’ll be ready to transition into fall. Make yourself a scrapbook, do some journaling about what you loved this summer or do a craft with your kids to remember the season.